1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lever of a lever type connector comprising a pair of component connectors, and more particularly to the lever to be used as a means for allowing the component connectors of the lever type connector to be connected to each other easily.
2. Description of the Related Arts
A great force is required to connect a plurality of connectors, for example, 20 or more to each other. Therefore, lever type connectors have been proposed to connect them easily by means of a lever which allows an operator to connect them by applying a relatively small force thereto.
An example of a lever of the lever type connector of this kind is described below with reference to FIGS. 8 through 10. A lever 2 comprises side walls 2a and 2b and a connecting portion 2c continuous with the side walls 2a and 2b, thus having a U-shaped configuration. Each of a pair of pins 3d and 3e projecting from each of side walls 3a and 3b of a female connector 3 is rotatably inserted through a through-opening 2d formed on a right side wall 2a of the lever 2 and a through-opening 2e formed on a left side wall 2b of the lever 2.
A circular arc guide groove 2f is formed on the inner surface of the right side wall 2a of the lever 2 and a circular arc guide groove 2g is formed on the left side wall 2b thereof. When a male connector 4 is inserted into a hole 3c of the female connector 3 with the lever 2 installed thereon, each of a pair of guide pins 4c and 4d projecting from side walls 4a and 4b of the male connector 4 engage each of the guide grooves 2f and 2g of the lever 2. Due to the rotation of the lever 2, the male connector 4 is moved into the female connector 3 through the hole 3c. In this manner, the male connector 4 and the female connector 3 are connected to each other.
The lever 2 is installed on the female connector 3 as follows: As shown in FIG. 10, the pin 3d projecting from the side wall 3a of the female connector 3 is inserted through the through-opening 2d formed on the side wall 2a of the lever 2 and then, the pin 3e projecting from the side wall 3b of the female connector 3 is inserted through the through-opening 2e formed on the left side wall 2b of the lever 2 by pressing the left side wall 2b in X-direction to expand the lever 2 in the left side thereof.
As described above, the operator presses the left side wall 2b of the lever 2 with the right side wall 2a thereof supported by the pin 3d of the female connector 3. Therefore, when the left side wall 2b is pressed strongly in the X-direction, there is a possibility that the distance between the side walls 2a and 2b of the lever 2 in the lower portion thereof becomes greater than that between the side walls 2a and 2b of the lever 2 in the upper portion of the lever 2 and the lever thus deformed is not restored to the original configuration. In addition, if the operator applies an excessive amount of force to the lever 2, the lever may be broken.
When the lever has been plastically deformed, needless to say, the lever cannot be rotated smoothly. In this situation, the operator has various troubles in installing the lever 2 on the female connector 3. For example, the operator's hand aches.